A classic Christmas tale, a disturbed triptych, and a family tearjerker

Movies to watch online to kick off the ‘ber’ months

By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter

THE first half of September saw various streaming platforms release a bunch of content, some new and some that were previously available in Philippine cinemas for a short run. BusinessWorld picked out a few to watch.

Here are some spoiler-free reviews of how each of these movies can enrich the start of the ’ber months:

The Holdovers
Streaming on HBO GO

Those who missed this film’s brief run at Ayala Malls Cinemas early in February are in for a treat. Now on HBO GO, there’s no better way to launch into September (the unofficial beginning of the extended holiday season) than to tune in to a cozy Christmas movie.

Alexander Payne’s acclaimed 2023 comedy drama embraces classic tropes: the boarding school setting, the dysfunctional found family dynamics among lonesome strangers, and the discovery of Christmas spirit in spite of a natural cynicism in the characters. But its greatest achievement? The screenplay, cinematography, and editing that make this feel and look like it was made 30 to 40 years ago.

Here, we follow three lonesome individuals held over at a boarding school in 1970 for the holiday break — a misunderstood delinquent student, a curmudgeonly old teacher, and a grieving lunch lady — forcing them to become unexpected companions. The highlights are Paul Giamatti in the wonderfully eccentric teacher role and Dominic Sessa in his debut as the delinquent Angus.

The Holdovers does nothing new, but it does all of it very well, with a good blend of humor and heart. While it could have been a better character study, particularly for Mary (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph who deservedly won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this beautiful role), it never overstays its welcome and is on track to becoming a beloved classic Christmas film.

Kinds of Kindness
Streaming on Disney+

Actors at their peak take on three demented, perverse tales that only Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos and his partner-in-crime writer Efthymis Filippou could dream up. In a post-Poor Things and The Favourite world, where Lanthimos has become synonymous with big-budget, almost whimsical absurdity, he returns to his humble roots (albeit equipped with a strong Hollywood cast).

Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau, and Margaret Qualley all knock it out of the park playing various eccentric roles that share a sense of perversion in their warped pursuit of love and belonging. The second and third stories outshine the messy first, but all of them really go together in building a disturbed monument to human nature.

Again, those who have been with Lanthimos from his early, Greek-language film career may see this as an over-polished, self-indulgent, goofy anomaly among his later works. But to have this morsel of insanity on Disney+ of all platforms is simply wonderful. Anyone should take a look, no matter how inhospitable the pregnant pauses and strange moments seem to be. The characters are utter sociopaths and the situations they’re in, despite being so grim, are charmingly humorous.

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
Netflix

Earlier this year, this film made waves in cinemas all over Southeast Asia when it became the highest-grossing Thai film in the Indonesian, Singaporean, Malaysian, Vietnamese, and Philippine box offices. Over on TikTok, it went viral with people posting their teary reactions after watching the film.

Pat Boonnitipat’s How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is evidence of Thailand’s staying power when it comes to the tearjerker drama genre. While specific to Thai-Chinese culture, it takes this cinematic tradition of stirring emotions to portray a distinct experience, one that echoes all around the region, be they viewers of Chinese-heritage or Southeast Asian families in general.

This film follows M (played by pop celebrity Billkin) who intends to take care of his grandmother with the purpose of inheriting money from her when she dies. Of course, he learns that there’s more to committing to loved ones than the subsequent financial gain as the two bond during her illness.

How this resonated with audiences everywhere is interesting proof of how much seemingly different cultures actually share, especially in a society that puts premium on capital. Younger generations embrace technology while older generations remain creatures of habit and religious belief. If you want to cry and let out bottled-up feelings about family, watch this and cry. It is guaranteed.